Plans for an innovation centre in
Peterborough - a central focus for supporting new companies with
plans for rapid growth - are being developed by Opportunity
Peterborough with the help of the local business community.

Opportunity Peterborough, the organisation responsible for leading
the future development of the city, has appointed specialist
consultancy firm UK Business Incubation to produce detailed
proposals. As part of their research its consultants are meeting
local business people, ranging from those actually running small
businesses of the type that might use an innovation centre to the
leaders of the city's biggest companies.

Opportunity Peterborough chief
executive Jody Tableporter said: "We need to ensure that an
innovation centre in Peterborough will meet the real needs of
businesses in the city. UK Business Incubation is exploring with the
business community exactly what facilities and services an
innovation centre should offer if it is to make the maximum impact
on our local economy."

Peter Harman of UK Business
Incubation said: "The innovation centre will need to concentrate on
the companies with bright ideas that have the potential to grow
rapidly into being significant local employers.

As well as holding individual
meetings with business people, UK Business Incubation has already
run two breakfast events, each attracting more than 30 company
directors and managers, to discuss the issues involved in running a
successful innovation centre.

Previous plans for an innovation
centre to be built at Peterborough Business Park, opposite the East
of England Showground, were discussed in 2005.

Jody Tableporter said: "Opportunity
Peterborough's current work is intended to get an innovation centre
delivered. UK Business Incubation will complete its report within
weeks and we will then be in a position to decide with partners
exactly how to move forward."

An innovation centre could create an
important link between the city's developing university and its key
business clusters in the environment, food and media sectors. It
could also play a key role in helping to attract dynamic young
businesses into the city.